Government of Canada Supports Youth Entrepreneurship Conference

More than 150 post-secondary student business owners will gather in Halifax this week to discuss and share ideas to help develop their business and leadership skills, as part of the 2016 Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference hosted by the Sobey School Business Development Centre at Saint Mary’s University.

Thanks in part to an investment from the Government of Canada, the conference, which takes place February 17 to 19, 2016, will connect university students from across Canada and provide them with a forum to share best practices, learn from experts in select fields and gain valuable business advice. This year’s conference theme, “Change the World through Entrepreneurship,” focuses on fostering socially minded entrepreneurial practices. Approximately 70 percent of participants are expected to be from the Atlantic region.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, is contributing $55,007 to the Sobey School Business Development Centre to support the 2016 Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference.

Quick Facts

• The conference includes a "big ideas" trade show, workshops delivered by entrepreneurial leaders, a forum for students to pitch business ideas, an Ideation Tournament focusing on innovative and revolutionary solutions for problems affecting today's society, and a chance to celebrate successes. • The Sobey School Business Development Centre at Saint Mary’s University is a not-for-profit organization focused on business development within Atlantic Canada and beyond. The Centre provides assistance to businesses and non-governmental organizations in business research, planning and implementation.• ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP) is designed to help entrepreneurs start up, expand or modernize their business, and also provides non-repayable financial assistance to not-for-profit organizations that provide support to Atlantic businesses.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the kind of entrepreneurship that is vital to Atlantic Canada’s future economic success. By supporting young entrepreneurs through conferences such as Starting Point 2016, we are ensuring our youth plays an integral role in rethinking what is possible, driving new innovation, and supporting a prosperous economic future for all Canadians.”

- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

“The Government of Canada is committed to providing our youth with the business skills needed to innovate and grow. The Starting Point Conference provides a tremendous venue for young entrepreneurs to come together to discuss new approaches to old problems, to celebrate their achievements and to inspire others.”

- Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax

“At Starting Point, we believe in the huge impact that a business can have when they have the right tools, whether it is financial, social or educational. We in Atlantic Canada know that we need more people starting and running successful small businesses in order to keep our region thriving. In the last five years alone, the Sobey School Business Development Centre has engaged more than 3,300 businesses and has provided opportunities for more than 4,500 students to be engaged in curricular and extra-curricular activities.”

- Kaitlyn Touesnard, Project Manager, Sobey School Business Development Centre